Quick Facts
Biography
Gerald Thomas (10 December 1920 – 9 November 1993) was an English film director best known for the long-running Carry On series of bawdy British film comedies.
Biography
Born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, UK, Thomas was educated in Bristol and London, and was training in medicine when World War II began. He served four years in the British Army during the war, and upon his return to civilian life thought it too late to continue his medical studies.
He began his movie career at Denham Studios, eventually becoming an assistant film editor beginning with Laurence Olivier's Hamlet (1948). His editing work included many films directed by his older brother, Ralph Thomas. His own directorial debut was the short film Circus Friends (1956), produced by the Children's Film Foundation. His first feature was the thriller Time Lock the following year.
Beginning with the farcical military comedy Carry On Sergeant (1958), Thomas directed all 30 films in the gleefully bawdy Carry On series of innuendo-laden and financially successful British comedies, produced by Peter Rogers, ending with Carry On Emmannuelle (1978) and the belated Carry On Columbus (1992). Additionally, he directed the framing sequences of the 1977 clips-compilation film That's Carry On. Other works as director include the comedy Please Turn Over (1959) and a drama of post-war Austria, The Second Victory (1986).
Personal life
Thomas was married, and the couple had three daughters. He died at home of a heart attack. Thomas' nephew is film producer Jeremy Thomas CBE.